SWARGASHRAM-HARDWAR 293
Ramdas was leaning against the wall of the shop, and he
found two men standing on his knees, two on his shoulders
and one on his neck which bent down with the weight. All
through this marvellous experience he was perfectly calm
and collected. At that time, he remembers to have had his
breathing entirely stopped, he sustained the heavy human
bodies with ease. If he had fallen down he would have
been trampled down to pulp, but G-od's protecting hand
was ever on him. Ramdas now heard a piteous cry from the
old sadhu. A stout mother had taken up a standing posture
on his chest, and he was exhorting her:
" 0 mother, you are my dearest mother. Please do come
down from my chest. I cannot bear your weight. 0
mother, a thousand dandawats at your precious feet, please
do!11
"I cannot do so, sadhuji," replied the mother. "The
moment I jump to the ground, I am done for; have
patience for a while."
"Oh!" shouted the sadhu, "you are then bent upon
killing me. Why did I come here at all ? Cursed be the
thought that guided me to this death-trap."
The tense situation lasted only for a few minutes. The
police got the crowds well in hand again and the space
was cleared. Ramdas was relieved of his burdens and so
also the old sadhu. The sadhu drew a long breath of in-
expressible relief as the stout lady abandoned her perch
upon Ms breast.
Till the evening of the next day they were driven hither
and thither by the rushing crowds aud the police, and they
could not disentangle themselves from the vast and intricate
human riddle. Ramdas was reminded of the perplexing
fortress of the Mahabharata war. However, after the sun
had gone down, they found a way out and proceeded
towards Rishikesh with as much speed as they could muster.
Over a hundred casualties had occurred during the
night's stampede and the violent onsets of the crowds. In